Natural Nutrition

Cast iron tea pots first appeared in China around the 13th and 14th centuries, but it didn’t take long for Japan to start using these pots in brewing sencha.  Sencha is loose tea leaves as opposed to traditional crushed powdered tea that is usually used for brewing.

The Chinese presented sencha to Japan about 400 years ago.  Sencha was also used in medicine which was able to cure physical and psychological problems.  Interestingly, well-educated people in Japanese society had sencha as a way of showing their rebellion against chanoyu.  Chanoyu was a formal and ceremonial way of drinking tea by the ruling class, which traditionally used powdered green tea known as matcha. The well-educated members of Japanese society drank sencha to show their resentment against chanoyu, a very formal, ceremonial tea preparation by the ruling class who used matcha, or powdered green tea leaves instead of sencha.

With the eventual rise of sencha drinking the use of cast iron tea pots, or tetsubin, became widespread in Japanese society because of the warm-hearted informality this type of ceremony promoted, one which could be casually executed with family members and friends.

At first, these tetsubin were primarily meant just for water boiling and brewing tea leaves so were not decorated or painted. Later, in the 19th century, these cast iron tea pots became more than functional kitchen implements but became viewed as status symbols. Makers of these tea pots began decorating the plain, gray cast iron with relief pictures of flowers, geometric figures, and other small designs, while placing layers of silver, copper and gold on the inside of the cast iron tea pots.

Iwate and Yamagata, two prefectures (counties) in Japan later became renowned for creating the most sought-after tetsubins because of their beautiful designs, high quality, and affordable prices.

Since cast iron is a cooking utensil that is very durable and also retains heat, it is popular to cook with beyond just brewing tea.  Many people actually had a health increase because of the use of cast iron pots, because there was an iron deficiency that was later made up with by cast iron. It was also discovered that because of the iron, people who suffered from iron deficiency also benefitted from eating and drinking food from cast iron tea pots.

Tetsubin should be maintained and cared for with the process of carefully watching to make sure tea doesn’t sit in a pot for more than it should.  This may lead to rusting in certain types of teapots.  Don’t use harsh dish detergent or scratchy washing materials to clean pots, either, as these can scratch the surface of a pot. Never wash your tea pot with scratchy scouring pads or use something other than a very mild dish detergent.

Most of the time you can probably get by with just rinsing the tea pot with cold water and gently toweling it off. Japanese tradition claims that the all-natural mineral coating which accumulates from brewing tea is beneficial for one’s health. Also, don’t let oil or salt lay on the surface of the tea pot as this could damage the surface.

A cast iron teapot makes a great gift for anyone and any age, and can do a great deal to lend to ambience in a kitchen.  The appearance of a cast iron teapot is both unique and old-fashioned in some ways, providing a nice contrast to the typical modern settings we see in most kitchens of today.  You can have a lot of use and enjoyment from a tetsubin, if you wish, as these cast iron pots are not only durable but also quite attractive and ceremonial. Its antique appearance is the perfect antithesis to the modern technology of today’s kitchenware and will give you years of enjoyment with the proper care.

Doc No:1208-CF-ULT5-dc16

Add Asian style to your team time with cast iron teapots, yixing teapots and glass teapots that brew your favorite tea and look great in the kitchen.